Potato-separator.



J. REUTHER.

POTATO SEPARATOR. APPLICATIONIILEDJAN.23,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTEIB \A/lTNE EEEEJ COLUMBIA PLANonR/um co., WASHINGTON, n. r

Patented May 13, 1913.

J. REUTHER.

POTATO SEPARATOR. I I APPLIOATION FILED JAN.23,1913. 1,0 1,5 PatentedMay13,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTEIR ATTEIRNEYEI WITNESJEEE UNITED STATES T OFFICE.

JOHN REUTHER, OF EAST AURORA, NEW YORK.

POTATO-SEPARATOR.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN REU'lI-IER, acitizen of the United States, residing at East Aurora, in the county ofErie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements inPotato- Separators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to potato diggers of the type having an elevatoror sepa 'ator composed of endless chains and transverse rods connectedtherewith.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 23, 1913.

Separators of i this kind are shown and described in Let-,1

ters Patent of the United States Nos. 922,816

and 967,557, granted to me May 25, 1909 and j August 10, 1910,respectively.

One object of the present invention is to;

improve the construction of the endless elevator or separator with aview of rendering the distance between 1ts rods variable or adjustableto suit different soils, wet or sticky soil requiring a wider spacing ofthe rods than dry or hard soil.

A further object is to simplify the 0011 struction of the separator inorder to reduce its cost and facilitate the assemblage of itsj parts.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of themachine, partly in section. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section ofthe machine, the usual draft pole and truck being omitted. Fig. 3 1s atransverse section thereof, on line 33, Fig. 2.

Fig. I is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinalv section of the separatorshowing the agitator in operation.

Similar characters of reference indicate era-responding parts throughoutthe several vlews.

1 indicates the main axle of the machine on which the ground wheels 2are mounted in the customary manner.

wardly inclined side bars 3. As shown in Supported on this axle is themain frame having for- Fig. 1, the axle is mounted in bearings 4 securedto these side bars.

5 indicates the digging device of the maor bars 6 extending across themachine and preferably having their outer ends formed ,one of the firstmentioned rods.

Patented May 13, 1913.

Serial No. 743,741.

with integral chain-links 7 which are connected together by separatelinks 8, thereby forming on either side of the machine endless chains orcarriers. By thus providing the rods 0-with integral chain links, theconstruction of the separator is materially simplified and reduced incost, and the as seniblage of its parts is also facilitated. A1-ternating with thetransverse rods 6 are similar separating rods 9 whichare provided at their ends with crank arms 10 pivoted to These two setsof rods are properly spaced to intercept potatoes, while allowing thedetached soil to fall between them. The rods 6 and 9 are adapted toengage the teeth of a pair of actuating or sprocket wheels 11 secured toa transverse shaft 12 supported in bearings 13 mounted on the rearportions of the side bars 3, whereby the rear portions of the endlesschains are carried by said sprocket wheels. As shown in the drawings,these wheels are ar 'anged on the inner side of the chains. The sprocketshaft 12 is driven from the axle 1. by gear wheels 14. and pinions 1:")which latter are shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The front portions ofthe endless chains referably run around smooth guide rollers or pulleys16 journaled on studs 17 carried by the side-bars 3, as shown in Figs. 1and 2. The inner ends of these studs are preferably carried by brackets18 secured to the inner sides of said side bars.

19 indicates the stationary side walls of the separator which are boltedor otherwise secured to the side bars 3.

The machine is provided with a longitudinal bar or rail 20 arrangedunderneath the upper portion of the separator and adapted to adjust theswinging rods toward and from the non-adjustable rods. This rail isvertically adjustable and carried at its rear end by a link 20 pivotedupon the axle 1, and near its front end by an arm 21 secured to atransverse rock shaft 22 carried by the frame bars 3 and having a lever23 for turning it. This lever may be locked in position by engaging afixed toothed bar 24, or other suitable means. Vhile traveling along theupper side of the separator, the bodies of the swinging rods ride uponand are supported by the rail 20, and for this purpose this rail extendsnearly throughout the length of the separator, as shown.

As clearly shown in Fig. 3, the outer ends of the straight separatorrods 6 are supfrom the adjacent non-adjustable rods 6,

thereby increasing or decreasing the spaces between the alternatingswinging and non adjustable rods accordingly. For digging in dry or hardsoil, which requires a comparatively narrow spacing of the separatorrods, the swinging rods are elevated to the general plane or level ofthe non-adjustable rods, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, while in digging inwet or sticky soil which requires a wider spacing of the rods, theswinging rods are lowered more or less, as shown in Fig. 4. A suitableagitator is preferably employed for shaking the swinging rods when inthe last-mentioned position, in order to effectually break up and detachthe soil from the rods. The agitator shown in the drawings consists of anotched or rack bar 26 arranged beside the adjusting bar 20 and securednear its lower end to a bearing 26 mounted upon the transverse rockshaft 22 and supportednear its rear end by a similar bearing 27 mountedon the axle 1.

The brackets 18 are arranged on the rear sides of the rollers 16 betweenthe upper and lower portions of the carriers and are preferably providedwith rearwardly extending supports or guides 29 arranged to direct therods 6 and 8 on to the adjusting rail 20 or the agitating device 26, toprevent blocking of the separator. Upon passing around the rear sides ofthe sprocket wheels 11 the swinging separator rods 9 are free to dropinto a pendent position, thereby further increasing the space betweenthe rods while on the underside of the separator and discharging anyearth and stones therefrom.

30 indicates a shaker or final separator arranged to receive thematerial from the tail of the endless main separator or elevator. Thisshaker forms no part of the present invention and may be of any suitableconstruction.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a potato digger, the combination of a separator comprising endlesscarriers and transverse separating rods, alternate rods being adjustablerelatively to theremaining rods to vary the space between them, andmeans for delivering the material upon the separator.

2. In a potato digger, the combination of a separator comprising endlesscarriers and transverse separating rods, alternate rods being immovablerelatively to the carriers and the remaining rods being pivoted to swingtoward and from the immovable rods to vary the space between theimmovable and the swinging rods, means for limiting the pivotal movementof the swinging rods, and means for delivering the material upon theseparator.

3. In a potato digger, the combination of a separator comprising endlesscarriers and transverse separating rods, alternate rods be ing immovablerelatively to the carriers and the remaining rods beingpivoted on thefirstnamed rods to swing vertically thereon, means for adjusting saidswinging rods, and means for delivering the material upon the separator.

4:- In a potato digger, the combination of a separator, comprisingendless carriers and transverse separating rods, alternate rods beingsubstantially straight throughout their length and attached to saidcarriers, and each of the intermediate rods having crank arms pivoted toone of said straight rods, means for limiting the swinging movement ofsaid pivoted rods, and means for delivering the material upon theseparator.

5. In a potato digger, the combination of a separator comprising endlesscarriers and transverse separating rods, alternate rods being attachedto the carriers, the intermediate rods being pivoted to the firstnamedrods to swing vertically thereon, means underneath the upper portion ofthe separator for supporting said swinging rods at different distancesfrom the plane of said I 7. In a potato digger, the combination of H aseparator comprising endless carriers and transverse separating rods,alternate rods being-attached to said carriers, the inter-' mediate rodseach having crank-arms pivoted on one of the first-named rods, anadjustable rail'for moving said pivoted rods toward and from the planeof the other rods, an agitator arranged to engage said pivoted rods whenlowered below the plane of the other rods, and means for delivering thematerial upon the separator.

8. In a potato digger, the combination of a separator, comprisingendless chains and transverse separating rods, the ends of alternaterods being integral with a pair of links of said chains, each of theintermediate I rods being pivoted to one of the first-mentioned rods,means for limiting the swinging movement of said pivoted rods, and meansfor delivering the material upon the separator.

9. In a potato digger, the combination of a separator comprisingtransverse separating rods provided at their ends with integral chainlinks, separate chain links uniting the first-mentioned links andforming endless carriers therewith, and a second set of separating rodsalternating With said link-rods and each having crank arms pivoted toone of the link-rods to swing vertically thereon, means for adjustingsaid swinging rods, and means for delivering the material upon theseparator.

Witness my hand this 21st day of January, 1913.

JOHN REUTHER. WVitnesses:

O. F. GEYER, E. M. GRAHAM.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G."

